Tag Archives: France

At first I wrote four years – maybe because so much has happened during these years, or maybe because my math-skills aren’t perfect…

Last night Anders started showing old blog posts, and so many memories came back from our years of traveling, house sitting, exploring and living a different way than before. I don’t think he even was aware of the anniversary, he just likes to bring out those memories and tresure them now and then. It’s also a great way to remember people we’ve met, stories we’ve heard and stay grateful to it all.

The journey of changing our lifestyle, trying out a new attitude towards living, and taking huge leaps of faith started long before 2014 though.

We’ve worked a lot with our dreams and visions for our lives, daring to question what’s actually important and what’s not. And we still are. Though we’re now back in Sweden, living a rather ordinary life, we still ask ourselves what we love doing, what’s important and remind ourselves we don’t have to do things just because we think it’s “expected” from us.

Last night we started to talk about the arrival of our baby in February next year, and again we realized it’s impossible to know what life’s going to look like after that. We simply can’t plan because we’ve got no idea of how it will effect us, what our baby’s going to need and what new great ideas and possibilities might come along. (ok, we do understand the basic needs of a newborn baby, but we don’t know who this little individual is).

We could go on posting tons of photos, but here are just a few from our adventures the past years.

So we’ll just keep balancing through life, putting one foot in front of the other.

On the train to Paris last Friday we were eating our lunch that we brought and I realized we had no clue what that night would be like.

Train from Toulouse to Paris

There were pictures of the apartment we had rented over the weekend, but one never knows if that is how a place is irl. And we had gotten some suggestions for restaurants in Paris, but nothing was booked and we might not even feel like going out. Is there a grocery store nearby? We had no idea.

Full moon over Paris tonight

Now we know what the place looks like, that there are great restaurants in the area, several grocery stores and “walking-friendly” streets.
But we’re about to step into the unknown again.

At the Louvren today

We’re leaving Europe tomorrow, to go via Qatar to Bali, a trip of more than 24 hours from door to door.
In Bali we’re booked for a six-nights stay in Kuta – nothing else is planned. We know the food will be different, the sounds, the temperature and the sun, the people and nature – most things will be different from here, and still we will meet people; people that all have the same needs, desires and wishes as most other human beings.

Tour Eiffel

So we’re ready to meet what comes our way, curious of how we will react to what is new to us, interested in discovering new places and people from all paths of life.

Montmartre

Tired from walking, grateful to spend our days together and curious about life.

Have had one of the best days of my life today. This far in life, that is.

After breakfast I got to get out horse back riding with one of the friends who host me this week. The sun was shining, I had a very nice horse, good company and the scenery was astonishing.
I love horses and have been riding for about 30 years. To ride in this part of France was a dream I didn’t realized I had before I was out there!

Saddle and head piece

After riding I took a swim in the pool and then had lunch. All was calm and peaceful, just like my mind.

In the afternoon we did some work, and I have spent most of the day outside with sun bathing inbetween.

Why this day has been so good probably has more to do with my state of mind and being rather than the actual activities. Well, that’s really how it always is – we can do wonderful things and yet feel crappy. And we can do boring things and have a great experience.

Afternoon coffee by the pool

Today the combination of activities, setting and state of mind made it a wonderful day for me that I will remember forever.

In a few days Anders arrives and I can’t wait to see him again. It’s been three weeks, and so much has happened for both of us it’ll take some time to talk it all through.

Flower in my bedroom

The first days back in France, together with friends, have been truly awsome. So much caring and love among our friends here, the views take my breath away every day, and I get to both do my own things, be a part of other’s lives, and learn new things. Great mix!

Yesterday after a pool session

It’s been warm enough to sun bathe and swim in the pool = I’m a happy kid!
As for the renovation project it moves along very well and we have put in some good hours of work.

The minute I stepped out of the shuttle bus from the airport, arriving in Toulouse, I could recognize the sense of France I remember from last winter and spring that we spend in this region.
All of a sudden it was clear that I actually do know and remember quite a lot of French words (in writing), and I was even able to order my lunch in French, with a little translation help from the English menu.

The lunch was a French love story in itself with taste of rosemary, fresh locally grown vegetables and a superb coffee afterwards. High quality products and good cooking does make a huge difference.

Green grapes

Now I’m back at one of the places we were house sitting at last winter, with people who have become our friends and now host me while I help out with a little work on the farm. Here are horses, cats, sheep and chicken, and today I get to work on a renovation project in the old stable.

Fresh eggs every day

These people are so sweet, hugging me time and making sure I am doing good all the time. And they too serve food to die for! Lots of it is grown here in their own vegetable garden.

Next week Anders arrives, and then we’ll be house sitting at this place for two weeks. It’s very quiet and calm out here, and a lovely view over the Pyrenees and I am so happy to get to see this view now, when it’s green, sunny and beautiful in another way than last winter.

French country house

When living a nomadic lifestyle it’s wonderful to come back to places and people, to recognize and be able to actually continue a conversation and not always start a new one.

Work outfit

Four new eggs per day

The sheep love beeing fed grain

Hills and valleys

Take care and enjoy this day. Who can you take up a conversation with today?

The life style we (Anders and Wivan) have choosen includes a lot of hellos, but also a lot of good byes.
Many people we meet encourage us to continue do what we dream of, no matter how different it might be to their way of living. A lot of people also say “Oh, to travel that much is something I dream of doing” or “You live the way so many people wish they were living”.

We do believe it’s possible to reach and act upon dreams, to make them happen. As we all know, hardly anything happens in life in the precise order or time we humans think is the “right” way, but it can still happen. Maybe what’s needed is to look at life and dreams from a different angle every now and then. To ask for someone’s view of it, just to broaden the perspective a bit.

what's your passion?

To take a different path in life, to make a change, usually needs us to say “hello” to something new, and “good bye” to something else. To embrace what earlier might have seemed frightening or odd and see where that takes us.

Portugese pattern on a house

This “hello, good bye” is not only for traveling, or leaving something physical, it’s also useful on thought patterns, relations and habits.

Today I am leaving Portugal to go to France. It’s a good bye and “hope to see you again”-time. I fell in love with Portugal already last spring when we spent two and a half months on Flores in the Azores.
I fell in love again this time, with the ocean, the food, the sun, surfing, people and views. For that I am very grateful.

Sunset in Ericeira

Now it’s time to re-unite with France, with friends and wonderful animals, views, food and nature. I look forward to that. But right now I allow myself to feel the depth of a good bye, a sense of that all we have is an ever changing wave, that we move on.

Till we meet again; good bye!
//Wivan

Lizandro beach

Pretty flowers

Rarely buy souvenirs, but this deck of cards reminds me of good times and might come handy

In Egypt last December we had a very clear example of what good connections with locals can do for us as foreigners and travellers in a new place. We got to have an amazing experience of the pyramids thanks to our very nice taxi driver Hassan who did as much as he ever could for us to have a good time.

Here in the Azores we get lots and lots of help from a neighbor. We get to use her car, so we can make small trips, go to the store or whatever. The other day we borrowed her scooter for a little drive in the sunshine. She comes over to ask if everything is ok, if we need anything or if she can help in any way and it’s very nice and comforting. We’ve also gotten maps of the island and been invited to volleyball practice with her, to come and listen and see her and her group practice folklore music and dancing.

Sightseeing in Flores thanks to our neighbor

Folk music and dancing practice in Lajes das Flores

Since the island of Flores has less than 4000 inhabitants, it’s very clear who is a local and who is not… most people know each other, at least in each village. So, we are trying our best to say hello and thanks in Portuguese and just see what we see and whom we will meet when we’re out. What we have learned this far, after travelling Europe for about six months, is that you can never predict what opportunity awaits around the corner, and to have some locals to help out or just show the way is very nice.

Scooter ride in the sun - awfully cold wind on the top of the hill

In the store the other day we met a French guy who we spoke to for a little bit. And guess what?! After our encounter with the Frenchman, he’s now invited us for dinner with his family and our neighbor! We hope to schedule that soon.

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Who are we?

Since selling our house in Sweden and leaving our jobs in November 2014 we’ve been traveling, house sitting and exploring the world in different ways. At the moment we are located in Sweden, and expect our first child in February 2018.

By sharing parts of our journey we also share insights about life, people and places. We hope that our story and experiences might inspire others to find out what their dreams are and start acting upon them.

We believe it’s possible to make dreams come true!

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